Dodgers get first look at new-look Petco Park

The Dodgers will get their first look at a reconfigured Petco Park as the opponent in today’s home opener for the San Diego Padres.

During the off-season, the wall in right field was moved in as much as 11 feet in places and lowered to match the 8-foot wall in left and center field. The power alleys have been reduced significantly -- from 402 feet to 391 in right center and from 402 to 390 in left-center – taking some of the teeth out of what has been one of baseball’s stingiest offense-suppressors over the past nine seasons.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly took a walk around the outfield early today to get a feel for the new dimensions. But he thinks the park will remain a pitcher’s park even with the changes.

“I still gotta believe it’s going to play fair. It’s still going to be a pitcher’s park,” Mattingly said. “You’re still going to have to hit it. But there were some areas before where you knew you were going to have to crush it and it still might not go out.”

The Dodgers have a losing record at Petco Park since it opened in April 2004 (40-42). But Mattingly insists playing here is not much of an adjustment for the Dodgers.

“It’s not so much for us because we play in a pitcher’s park,” he said. “I think we’re okay here because we play in a pretty big ballpark and it’s kind of a pitcher’s division.”

It’s actually a division with widely divergent personalities. Coors Field in Colorado and Chase Field in Arizona are annually among the most hitter-friendly ballparks in baseball. Last year, Coors Field ranked first in runs per game, third in home runs allowed (even with the humidor in full operation) while Chase Field was sixth in runs and home runs allowed.

Meanwhile, Dodger Stadium, Petco Park and AT&T Park in San Francisco are annually among the most pitcher-friendly stadiums. In 2012, they ranked sixth, fifth and second, respectively, in fewest runs allowed.

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